Sleep Apnea Prevention Mask

ABSTRACT

A sleep apnea prevention sleep-aid mask is described. The sleep-aid mask is configured to secure the lips of a user together in a natural state, in order to encourage the respiratory system of the user to employ the nasal passages rather than the mouth for respiration. A pad equipped with a perforated mesh or channel is positioned over the lips and mouth of the user, and secured in position on the user via an adhesive, which temporarily affixes the pad to the face of the user. The sleep-aid mask is preferably shaped and sized according to the specific size of the user&#39;s face, and is configured to limit the effective diameter of the mouth of the user, in order to cause continued use of respiration via the nasal passages.

FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to face masks designed to be worn bypeople during sleep, and more specifically, to sleep masks configured tocover the mouth and lips of the user. The present invention is orientedtoward reinforcing healthy breathing patterns, specifically breathingpatterns that do not induce sleep apneas, as well as encouraging the actof breathing through the nasal passages.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Occasionally, it is known that some individuals suffer from mild tosevere sleep disorders. Some individuals merely have difficulty fallingasleep, or perhaps staying asleep, while others have difficultiesmaintaining consistent, healthy breathing patterns. Individuals thatsuffer from sleep apnea are known to have pauses or gaps in breathingthat can last 20 seconds or more, and in some cases, the apnea can lastfor minutes. This can cause a variety of problems for the individual,ranging from drowsiness, irritability, difficulty storing memories,incomplete sleep cycles, slower reaction time, daytime fatigue, and evenimpaired vision.

Additionally, it is known that sleep apnea can be difficult to initiallydetect, and can also be difficult to effectively treat. Frequentlyindividuals suffering from sleep apnea are unaware of experiencingapneas throughout the night, and are unaware of what is causing theirdrowsiness the next day. Once a formal sleep study is conducted,diagnosis of sleep apnea can be made.

Treatments after diagnosis often include lifestyle changes, medication,and behavioral therapy. Additionally, in some cases a CPAP (ContinuousPositive Air Pressure) device can be used and a splint employed in orderto facilitate and encourage healthier breathing and breathing patternsduring sleep. However, many of these treatments could be aided, and insome cases, be rendered unneeded via an external device that couldpotentially eliminate the need for surgery, and augment the efficacy ofmedication and lifestyle changes to the overall treatment for sleepapnea. Such a device would preferably orient the lips and jaw of theindividual in order to facilitate ideal respiratory resting posture, andencourage the individual to inhale and exhale through the nasalpassages, aiding in the prevention of sleep apneas.

Thus, there is a need for a device capable of externally maintaining thelips and jaw of the face of a user in a relaxed, closed posture, inorder to facilitate respiration through the nasal passages and aide inthe treatment and prevention of sleep apnea.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,209B2 filed by George Kulick on Dec. 17, 2002 is fora mouthpiece and tubing. Kulick is similar to the present invention inthat it attempts to solve sleep disorders. However, Kulick employs amouthpiece engineer to fit within and around the mouth of the user,whereas the present invention is designed to remain wholly external tothe mouth of the user.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,451,766B2 filed on Nov. 18, 2008 by Chipp Miller is foran enhanced breathing device titled “tubing based device for snoringand/or sleep apnea.” Miller addresses the problem of sleep apnea aswell, but employs additional tubing to direct respiration, unlike thepresent invention, which preferably uses a pad and integrated meshperforation to direct air flow.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention is a sleep-aid device designed to hold a user'smouth in a natural closed position, helping to ensure that the tongueand jaw of the use will not relax during sleep and cause pauses inbreathing known as apneas. The present invention employs a form ofhypoallergenic adhesive affixed to a paper-thin, perforated silicone orcloth pad, similar in construction to 3M™ Medipore™ in order to securelyand temporarily affix the present invention to the face, namely thecheeks, lips, and/or jaw of the user. The sleep aid of the presentinvention is designed to hold the lips of the user closed, encouragingbreathing through the nasal passages and nostrils.

A permeation, consisting of a thin mesh or cylindrical channel isdisposed just above or between the adhesive of the present invention,and is positioned such that the permeation lies over or just above themouth of the user during use. The permeation exists to provide analternate channel for respiration through the mouth in the event thatthe nasal passage of the user becomes blocked, forcing the user tobreath through his or her mouth.

The pad of the present invention is preferably configured to conform tothe shape of the user's face, and provide a semi-secure seal over themouth of the user during use. While the seal need not be completelyair-tight, any restriction over the mouth of a user during sleep willhelp to curtail his or her use of the mouth to breathe.

When the present invention is properly positioned and affixed to theface of the user, the user's respiration is channeled, and thereforeencouraged to flow through the nasal passages of the user rather thanthrough the mouth. Through this method of respiration, it is less likelyfor the user to suffer from a sleep apnea.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts the present invention as viewed from the front.

FIG. 2 shows the present invention as viewed from the back.

FIG. 3 exhibits an alternate embodiment of the present invention,exhibiting a cylinder.

FIG. 4 depicts an alternate embodiment of the present invention,highlighting an alternate placement of the adhesive of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is a sleep mask configured to be worn on the faceof a user during sleep. The present invention preferably consists of apad (10) that is preferably a paper-thin cloth, a silicone sheet, awoven paper, or similarly soft material. Due the preferably soft andflexible construction of the pad (10), it is envisioned that thepreferred embodiment of the pad (10) is stretchable, yet strong enoughnot to break or puncture when stretched. The pad (10) has a front side(20) and a back side (30). At the center of the pad (10), a permeation(40) exists to provide a restricted channel for air to pass through. Thepermeation (40) is preferably small, no larger than a half inch indiameter, and may be embodied by a small hollow cylinder as seen in FIG.3. However, the permeation (40) employed by the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention is a mesh, gas-permeable fabric, as seen in FIG. 1and FIG. 2, in order to provide the constricted, alternate passage forair in the event that the user's nasal passage becomes clogged, andalternate breathing through the mouth is required.

The back side (30) of the pad (10) is equipped with an adhesive (50)which is strong and water-resistant enough to bind the pad (10)temporarily to skin, yet preferably do not irritate the skin or leave asticky residue on the skin. The adhesive (50) can be seen in FIG. 2, andis represented by diagonal, thin lines across the back side (30) of thepad (10). The adhesive (50) is preferably clear in the preferredembodiment of the present invention, however it can be envisioned thatit may have a slight coloration to it, in order to help the user easilydifferentiate between the back side (30) and the front side (20) of thepad (10). The adhesive (50) is preferably capable of remaining inposition even in the event that the user begins to sweat. Additionally,the adhesive (50) of the present invention is preferably non-toxic. Thenon-toxicity of the adhesive (50) is critical as the adhesive (50) ispreferably positioned such that it comes into close contact with thelips and/or mouth of the user. The adhesive (50) of the presentinvention is intended to affix the present invention to the upper lipand lower lip and jaw of the user. The adhesive (50) of the presentinvention is preferably oriented just above and below the permeation(40).

Some embodiments of the present invention are preferably equipped with arelease tab (60). The release tab (60) is preferably positioned on theleft or right side of the pad (10), and is free from adhesive. Therelease tab (60) is designed to facilitate the removal of the presentinvention from the face of a user after the sleep session is completed.To use the release tab (60), the user simply pulls the release tab (60)out and away from the user's face, providing for the pad (10) to bepeeled off the face of the user quickly and easily.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the adhesive (50) coversthe entirety of the back side (30) of the pad (10) of the presentinvention. The adhesive (50) of the present invention is preferablycovered with an adhesive backing, such as a piece of waxed paper, inorder to keep the adhesive (50) clean and sterile until time of use.Similarly, in some embodiments of the present invention, such as thosesized for smaller mouths or faces, the adhesive (50) of the presentinvention may also encompass or come into contact with the permeation(40) or come very near to the site of the permeation (40) of the presentinvention. The adhesive (50) is also crafted to leave little to nosticky residue behind, and is capable of holding a stable position onthe face of the user that endures for the duration of the sleep session.

It is envisioned that the present invention is capable of remainingsecurely affixed to or over the lips and jaw of the user for theduration of the sleep session due to the strength and rigidity of thepaper-thin and/or paper-like cloth or silicone used in the pad (10), aswell as due to the efficacy of the adhesive (50) employed by the presentinvention. It should be noted that the adhesive (50) and pad (10) thatthe present invention are equipped with are preferably hypoallergenicand kept in a sterile container until use. The present invention mayalso be kept in a sterile, preferably paper envelope, similar to aconventional adhesive bandage, in order to ensure dirt and othercontaminants do not compromise the sterility of the pad (10).

Alternate embodiments of the present invention may include variations onthe size of the permeation (40). For example, for users with a largelung capacity, the standard size of the permeation (40) of the presentinvention may be too small, which could cause an individual to faintfrom a lack of oxygen if his or her nasal passages become blocked duringthe user of the present invention. As such, some versions of the presentinvention may be equipped with a permeation (40) that has a largerdiameter, or if the permeation (40) is a mesh screen, the screen may belarger or equipped with additional small holes to permit slightlygreater air flow.

Similarly, the pad (10) of the present invention may be available in avariety of sizes in order to accommodate all shapes and sizes of faces.While it is envisioned that a ‘one-size-fits-all’ size of pad (10) willlikely function appropriately for most individuals, larger sizes may beneeded for individuals with irregularly shaped or sized mouths or otherfacial features.

In the event that the user has a full face beard, the adhesive (50) ofthe present invention will be less effective than when placed on a userwithout facial hair. As such, it is envisioned that an alternateembodiment of the present invention may be equipped with at least oneelastic band which may facilitate the stable placement of the pad (10)on to the user's face. It is envisioned that the elastic band wouldpreferably be affixed to the sides of the pad (10), and be capable ofretaining the pad (10) in an approximately ideal location by securingthe pad (10) to the user's face via the elastic band around the user'sears or the back of his or her head. Adhesive (50) is preferably stillemployed in this alternate embodiment of the present invention, howeverit is understood that facial hair would likely infringe on theadhesive's capacity to remain affixed to the face of the user for theduration of the sleeping session.

Having illustrated the present invention, it should be understood thatvarious adjustments and versions might be implemented without venturingaway from the essence of the present invention. Further, it should beunderstood that the present invention is not solely limited to theinvention as described in the embodiments above, but further comprisesany and all embodiments within the scope of this application.

I claim: 1-16. (canceled)
 17. A method for preventing sleep apnea of auser, comprising: maintaining an upper lip and a lower lip of a face ofthe user in a closed posture; maintaining a jaw of the face of the userin a closed posture; orienting adhesive just above and below apermeation in a pad; affixing the pad to the upper lip and the lower lipof the user with the adhesive while said maintaining the lips of theface of the user in the closed posture; affixing the pad to the jaw ofthe face of the user with the adhesive while maintaining the jaw of theface of the user in the closed posture; covering a mouth of the userwith the pad; covering the upper lip and the lower lip of the user withthe pad; covering cheeks of the user with the pad; the pad facilitatingrespiration through the nasal passages, preventing airflow through themouth of the user; the pad remaining wholly external to the mouth of theuser; the pad holding the mouth of the user in a natural closedposition; ensuring that a tongue of the user will not relax duringsleep; ensuring that the jaw of the user will not relax during sleep;forming a semi-secure seal over the mouth of the user with the pad; andensuring dirt and contaminants do not compromise sterility of the pad.18. The method of claim 17, further comprising positioning the pad sothat the permeation lies over the mouth of the user.
 19. The method ofclaim 17, further comprising positioning the pad so that the permeationlies just above the mouth of the user.
 20. The method of claim 17,further comprising removing the pad via a release tab.
 21. The method ofclaim 17, further comprising pulling a release tab out and away from theface of the user once a sleep session has completed, and thus pullingthe pad off the face of the user.
 22. The method of claim 17, furthercomprising keeping the adhesive and the pad in a sterile container untiluse.
 23. The method of claim 17, further comprising keeping the adhesiveand the pad in a paper envelope until use.
 24. The method of claim 18,further comprising: removing the pad via a release tab; and keeping theadhesive and the pad in a sterile container until use.
 25. The method ofclaim 19, further comprising: pulling a release tab out and away fromthe face of the user once a sleep session has completed, and thuspulling the pad off the face of the user; and keeping the adhesive andthe pad in a paper envelope until use.
 26. A method for preventing sleepapnea of a user, comprising: orienting adhesive just above and below apermeation in a pad; affixing the pad to an upper lip and a lower lip ofthe user with the adhesive; affixing the pad to the jaw of the user withthe adhesive ensuring that a tongue of the user will not relax duringsleep; covering a mouth of the user with the pad; covering the upper lipand the lower lip of the user with the pad; covering cheeks of the userwith the pad; the pad facilitating respiration through the nasalpassages, preventing airflow through the mouth of the user; the padremaining wholly external to the mouth of the user; the pad holding themouth of the user in a natural closed position; forming a semi-secureseal over the mouth of the user with the pad; and ensuring dirt andcontaminants do not compromise sterility of the pad.
 27. The method ofclaim 26, further comprising positioning the pad so that the permeationlies over the mouth of the user.
 28. The method of claim 26, furthercomprising positioning the pad so that the permeation lies just abovethe mouth of the user.
 29. The method of claim 26, further comprisingremoving the pad via a release tab.
 30. The method of claim 26, furthercomprising pulling a release tab out and away from the face of the useronce a sleep session has completed, and thus pulling the pad off theface of the user.
 31. The method of claim 26, further comprising keepingthe adhesive and the pad in a sterile container until use.
 32. Themethod of claim 26, further comprising keeping the adhesive and the padin a paper envelope until use.
 33. The method of claim 27, furthercomprising: removing the pad via a release tab; and keeping the adhesiveand the pad in a sterile container until use.
 34. The method of claim28, further comprising: pulling a release tab out and away from the faceof the user once a sleep session has completed, and thus pulling the padoff the face of the user; and keeping the adhesive and the pad in apaper envelope until use.
 35. A method for preventing sleep apnea of auser, comprising: maintaining the lips of a face of the user in a closedposture; orienting adhesive just above and below a permeation in a pad;affixing the pad to the lips of the user with the adhesive while saidmaintaining the lips of the face of the user in the closed posture;covering the mouth of the user with the pad; covering the lips of theuser with the pad; the pad facilitating respiration through the nasalpassages, preventing airflow through the mouth of the user; the padholding the mouth of the user in a natural closed position; and forminga semi-secure seal over the mouth of the user with the pad.